The Girl With The Lion Birthmark
by damfangirl
Summary: Tinkerbell uses the pixie dust as a last resort to change the Evil Queen. True love, you see, can change someone from an evil villain to a full-fledged hero. Tink's pixie dust doesn't quite work as expected and instead the Evil Queen is faced with the realization of a lifetime. Her true love was a Charming. AU Swan Queen/Pre-Curse/FTL
1. Born To Love Evil

"WHAT‽" the Evil Queen exclaimed.

After being dragged via Tinkerbell through the entire Enchanted Forest, all the way to Snow White's kingdom, the odd duo followed the pixie dust that was supposed to lead the Evil Queen to her true love and soul mate, the one that would make her 'good' again. It just so happened that the Queen's luck remained sour and the pixie dust lead her straight to her mortal enemy, Snow White, but not quite. The dust swirled around the abdomen of a wide-eyed White Queen.

"Regina! What have you done to me? Is this your payback, cursing my baby before it's even born?" Snow interrogated the dumbfounded Evil Queen.

"It's‒ it's the baby with the lion birthmark," Tink stuttered. She turned expectantly to Queen Regina, wondering how she would take the news.

"Will _someone _please explain to me _what is going on?_" Queen Snow raised her voice.

Regina, of course, was still in complete and utter shock, disregarding all lessons taught and had her mouth hanging open. "Is‒ do you know the gender?" Regina asked softly.

The tone of voice certainly surprised Snow but she answered anyways, "Yes, _it_ is a girl. But why do you want to know? What are you going to do to Emma?"

"Emma..." Regina tested out the name. She quickly snapped her attention from Snow's protruding stomach to her eyes and put on her most regal, expressionless mask she could muster, "I'm going to fall in love with her."

Regina magically teleported back to her bedroom in her castle and slid down the nearest wall, slumping onto the concrete floor.

Meanwhile, Queen Snow was left alone again, but now a tidal wave of emotions washed through her. Confusion. Anger. Surprise. Shock. Protectiveness. She would not let her unborn baby girl to fall into the hands of the Evil Queen, let alone to fall into each other's hearts.

* * *

**Author's Note:**** This is To Be Continued so please be patient. The next chapter will jump forward in time a bit.**


	2. The Grand Meeting

‒18 years later‒

Over the years, Emma had grown up to be a decent princess and a phenomenal knight. She mastered the arts of swordsmanship, archery, knife throwing and wasn't too bad at jousting and javelin throwing either.

Throughout said time, Queen Regina had subtly become less evil. She hardly ever executed peasants, did not go on murder sprees and continued to be a great ruler. The changes had gone mostly unnoticed by most of the realm, as they happened rather gradually but for Queen Snow, they went wholly ignored (Charming just went along with everything his wife said).

Regina had been cursed by command of the late King Leopold to never grow old and to therefore never displease his sight, but that didn't mean that the Evil Queen couldn't watch Princess Emma grow up. At some points in Emma's life, a mysterious woman would appear and simply watch her from a distance, but somehow, not creepily. Regina looked upon young Emma as if she was a long lost loved one, with a sad yet warm smile etched across her face. Emma had never brought up the topic of the woman to her parents, even as she grew older.

Queen Regina made sure to be present for the little tot's birth, under her invisibility spell, of course. Princess Emma was born with not the mark or spot besides a light tan, lion-shaped birthmark, placed on the infant's wrist.

* * *

On Princess Emma's 18th birthday, she saw the mystery woman at the ball thrown in her favour. The woman was concealed within the shadows and had most certainly gone unseen by all else who attended. Emma thought, _this is it, it's now or never_, as she made her way towards the woman. Everyone had parted for the princess but paid no heed as to where she was going, the music hadn't stopped so the dancing wouldn't either.

Once Emma was face to face with Regina, they took in each other's features. Dark brown eyes compared to bright jade ones, chocolate brown hair compared to light blonde hair, sharp features compared to softer ones. The two women appeared to be almost complete opposites, yet they still stared at the other.

Regina, who had anticipated this moment greatly, was the first to speak up. "Happy birthday, dear," she whispered with a comforting, strong tone and a smile.

"Thanks," the princess said, clearly still appalled by the timeless beauty before her. "Sorry but who are you, exactly?"

"Your parents never told you about me?" the Queen asked and received a shake of the blonde's head in return. "Huh. Well, I'm Queen Regina, you may just call me Regina though." Regina's soft smile hadn't left since Emma had first come into her view.

"How is it surprising that my parent's haven't mentioned you? And how is it that I've seen you many times before, but like now, you're invisible to all else?" Princess Emma interrogated. She was a very curious and head-strong young woman, after all.

"Well I'm sure the most probable reasoning would be that I'm the _Evil_ Queen. I've checked in on you multiple times because we are‒" she didn't want to frighten the young woman but found that she truly could not lie to her either, "true loves, destined via pixie dust. I wanted to be more familiar to you by the time we officially met but if your parents or guards saw me... well let's just say it would not end well."


	3. The Half-Truths

"Okay," the princess accepted. "Also, why do you look the same every time?"

This question really did make the queen hesitate. What would she say? That the princess' grandfather cursed her to be this way when they were _married_? No, that would not do. "Well, quite the curious one, are you not? I was cursed to be this way. I am not immortal, I simply do not age," she told. Half an answer would have to do for now. "Are you not shocked? Frightened? I did mention being _evil_ did I not?"

"Yes, um, it's just that... Were you the one that saved mother from a horse when she was but a small girl?"

"Yes, I did," the brunette replied, furrowing her eyebrows. Regina thought that was an odd story to tell young Emma when her parents could have described her as the true villain she is. Or was, at least.

"Mother always says that you were a lovely step-mother to her, despite often being agitated by her mere presence. She regrets telling your mother about Daniel, too. All I know of you has been beyond good things," Emma answered the woman's un-asked questions.

"You do not detest the fact that technically, I am your step-grandmother? You are not surprised that we are true loves or that I am evil?" the queen asked, admiring the princess for her acceptance of all the new information donned to her.

"No, I do not think of you as evil anymore. My parents may try to hide it or ignore it but I know that you have improved. Your kingdom is thriving and is quite the safe place for peasants with magic, Mother has banned it, probably in fear of you, now that I have connected the two dots. I believe that in the beginning, Mother and Father wished to protect me from you but as time grew on, they realized that we are destined and they cannot change that without hurting me," Emma concluded. "Besides, fate could have paired me up with someone... less visually appealing"

Regina actually chuckled at that, her first laugh since Emma gave her father a make-over while he was asleep with her mother's make up. "Well, how about we go to the balcony, I'll cast a spell to keep the warmth in, and we dance our first dance?"

"I'd be delighted," the princess answered honestly as she stepped out with the stunning woman. She was secretly giddy about the whole situation. Emma would have to return to her ball before she caused an uproar at her absence.

She had also not been entirely honest with Regina just then. Her mother had not allowed her outside the palace grounds in fear of her being abducted by Snow's step-mother. Emma had of course snuck out anyways, but her mother was still very intolerant of the blonde being out and about. Especially after the princess voiced her interest in women over men. Snow would lock her away if she knew about Regina, despite being the heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, Queen Snow was speaking in hushed, harsh tones to guardsmen after noticing the disappearance of her daughter. _Find her and hold her in her chambers until the gathering can end._


	4. The Threat of Darkness

Queen Regina and Princess Emma felt as if they were dancing on clouds. Both were quite experienced in ballroom dancing, since it was required of all decent royalty to know how to ballroom dance. The two of them were off in their own world, without any recollection of what was about to happen around them.

"This feels so right, so complete, so perfect. Thank you," Emma whispers into the nape of Regina's neck. The older woman doesn't get a chance to respond before trouble via Snow White undoubtedly ruins the moment.

That was when the guards burst through the balcony doors, forcing Regina and Emma to jump apart at the sudden and abrupt interruption.

The two females instantly transformed into their combative stances without a second thought. The ageless queen, who had all the time in the land to practice and the rebel princess, who snuck out of the castle as often as she could to the dangerous forest and villages.

The guards still held the upper hand though, with the element of surprise on their side, and they eventually managed to knock their heir unconscious.

"EMMA," Regina calls out after her love, causing her to be caught off guard and take a hard blow to her left shoulder.

Regina continued to fight using her magic, but with the anti-magical wards in place, and her being outnumbered, she succumbed to her exhaustion. Queen Regina used her final touch of magic to vanish back to her castle, where she passed out. She kept one thought on her mind throughout her fitful sleep and that was '_I'll be more use to Emma out here, not locked up in Snow's dungeons. Must. Save. Emma.'_

Back in the White kingdom, their princess was ungracefully dragged to her chambers with her head lolling from side to side in her dormant state. Emma was then locked up like a bandit, where she would soon be known as the traitor in the tallest tower.

* * *

Meanwhile, Snow holds a top-secret meeting in search of the magic that will take commands through someone, from her. After confidentially scouring all the kingdoms for the perfect magic maker, the White Queen decides on an elderly woman who seems at least okay.

"You must acknowledge that you need to be trustworthy and loyal to me and only me. I want you to show Emma every image of the destruction that the Evil Queen has caused. Slowly. I want to punish her so she will never look at Regina with anything but disgust," Snow informs the old lady, dressed in what probably used to be nice, forest green robes but were now worse for wear from the years of wear and tear.

The sorceress fiends her acceptance with a sweet smile and nod towards the queen, whom wore a floor-length gown with a dark to light blue ombré. '_Snow White is just too oblivious for her own good, and that boy toy she keeps around is worse_,' the witch thought smugly to herself.

* * *

Emma woke up from her 'sleep' feeling groggy and damn her head was killing her! She was about to get up and ask a maid for medicine when she sensed another's presence in the room. The princess tried to relax again and pretend she was asleep, in hopes that the intruder would realize she was resting and simply leave, but they didn't.

"There's no point in acting, dear Emma," an elderly voice said behind her. "I know you've woke, now rise and change your clothes. We have quite the day ahead of us."

The young woman was startled by the aged woman by her bedside but reluctantly did as she was told. Emma exited her chambers to her wardrobe room without a word, grabbed the closest comfy outfit she could find, and switched to the powder room to prepare herself for the upcoming day.

As the blonde changed her clothes, styled her hair, and put on her makeup, she couldn't help but think of Regina. Emma had no idea what happened after she was, presumably, knocked out. She could only hope that her Queen made it out of the kingdom alive. Emma also wondered why the strange lady was in her chambers, for she had never met her before. The princess couldn't help but feel a sense of darkness surrounding that woman.

Before she could further think on why the lady felt _off_, said woman called through the door in a much harsher tone than before. "Get out here faster, girl, or you'll be in for the punishment of a lifetime!"

Emma reentered her chambers in a pair of tan riding pants, a loose, cream coloured blouse, a chocolate brown vest, and a pair a boots to match. The woman, whom say by the unlit fireplace on the other end of the room didn't even glance at her before ordering her to sit across from her.

"Your mother," the woman said, "Hired me to punish you, to change you. She demanded that I engrain every ounce of destruction Regina caused into your brain, seared into your memory forever. The White Queen, however, is very foolish. She forgot to tell me how I may do this, how I may turn you against your _'true love.'_

"Therefore I will make you suffer through this in the worst way imaginable," she continued. Her eyes that seemed so kind and forgiving at first now showed pure resentment, no mercy. "You must only refer to me as Lady Tremaine, madam or ma'am. No exceptions."

The young princess sat in her chair, appalled at the sudden forcefulness of the woman before her, _Lady Tremaine_, she reminded herself. "May I inquire a question, madam?" she asked. She decided it best to go the polite and accepting route, better safe then sorry. When Lady Tremaine discarded her pointed look and nodded, Emma took that as a sign to continue. "What do you plan to do to me?"

"Ah straight to the point I see, much more clever than your heritage suggests," Lady Tremaine replied. "I plan to tie you to your bed frame and burn the evil wrath the Dark Queen caused into your mind. I will torture your mind until the only thing left in the head of yours it the desperate need to end the one you once called your 'true love'"

* * *

**A/N: sorry I took months to finally update this story! I promise the next one won't take near as long, I already have most of it mapped out! Feedback is much appreciated!**


	5. Dance of Destruction

4 months. That's how long Regina hunted high and low for a way to get passed the barriers surrounding the White Kingdom. Not only was there the anti-magic warding but also extra layers of magic to keep unwanted magic-users out, specifically her. 4 months was far to long for a powerful queen such as herself to feel this useless, pacing the corridors of her castle trying to think of a way in.

And suddenly, on the 4 month mark after Emma's birthday she found it. It was not permanent, nor would it allow her in the White palace, nor Emma to exit. A bond. The link of true love.

Regina ran as fast as she could to her 'Zero Room.' This was the room that she created to amplify magical abilities, specifically messages like through her mirrors but she was sure it would help in this case, too. The queen decided against wasting any of her magic on transporting into the room, although it would be quicker.

Regina's conscious-self entered her own mind and instantly found the minuscule mental bond in the back of her mind. She was more than a little surprised to actually see the link there, after all, it was only a myth. As legend has it, the Bond of Eternity was only able to form once each lifetime and was hardly ever found, but it could only happen between the soul mates that shared true love and had the abilities for great magic.

This means Emma was capable of the strongest magic in the realm next to the Dark One and the Evil Queen's. Her magic also has the potential for great righteousness or great darkness.

Regina stared at the small, glowing white light that resembled a thin strand of twine for a moment before she willed her mind to reach out to Emma's mind, so to strengthen the bond. When she thought it might just be strong enough, she spoke.

_'Emma? Emma, darling, it me, Regina. Can you hear me?'_

* * *

After months that's felt like years, she gets a message.

_'Emma? Emma, darling, it me, Regina. Can you hear me?'_

Emma's life in the tower became more like a prisoner's. She was tied down to the bed by the witch's magic and was forced to live through the pain, heartache and loss that the Evil Queen has ever caused, she experienced every brutal torture and every merciless death, every hungry child and every ripped out heart.

And at the end of every single day, Lady Tramaine would ask her: "How do you feel about that woman now?" then after Emma replied in praise to the Dark Queen and how much she's changed, the witch makes sure to tighten her magical ties just a little bit tighter, force her dreams to be a little bit more painful, and allow the darkness further into Emma's heart.

The princess was permitted to sleep 'peacefully'– although it was ruined by nightmares– three times a week and was given food five times a week. Lady Tramaine convinced the royal family to not worry about their daughter, she was fine, Lady Tramaine was feeding her well and treating her decently. It was complete and utter lies but the magic from that lady let her pull it off.

Emma was hardly the old Emma anymore, she felt only numbness now. She had lost a ton of weight from being underfed these past few months and looked like a complete wreck between the visions and lack of sleep.

But now, after 4 months of torture, she gets a message. She can tell that Lady Tramaine had sensed something was different because Tramaine is an excellent reader of body language and Emma knows she visibly tensed up. Dammit.

"What's wrong, dear? Can't take was your supposed 'true love' did anymore? I don't blame you, she _is_ the Evil Queen," Lady Tramaine taunts, trying desperately to make the rebel snap.

"Was…" Emma mumbles quietly, facing away from the witch in an attempt to conceal her mixed emotions about everything that is happening.

"What was that? Speak up mutt, you have royal blood running through those veins and royalty does _not_ mumble!"

"She _was_ the Evil Queen," Emma clarifies. "Now she is the Queen of the Dark Kingdom or even the Dark Queen, but not evil."

"HOW CAN YOU THINK THAT?! AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF PAIN BEING FILTERED INTO YOU, ALL CAUSED BY THAT RETCHED WOMAN, _HOW_ CAN YOU SAY THAT?!"

"Regina changed," she states and Lady Tramaine doesn't waste her time with replying before injecting her mind with the torture the Evil Queen put a young peasant boy through. One of Emma's least favourite memories.

* * *

Confusion about the message in her head from earlier plagues the princess' thoughts as she attempts to fall asleep._ 'I'm probably just going mad. Yeah, that's it,'_ she concludes.

_'Emma! I hear you! Are you okay?' _Regina's beautiful voice rings through her head.

_'Yeah, I'm fine. Where are you? How is this possible?'_ The questions flood Emma's subconscious.

_'I'm in my castle, I can't get passed the barriers of Snow's fortress. I thought this was only a myth but it's the Bond of Eternity. It's created through the soul mates of magical true loves,' _Regina answers in awe.

_'Does that mean I…' _The younger woman couldn't even complete the thought in her own head, let alone project it to the other woman. Regina seemed to understand anyways.

_'Yes, love. You have great potential for either light or dark magic. When we finally get you out of there I can teach you if you please…'_

Their conversation continued on as such for the rest of the night and any other spare time Emma had from her mind-invasion torture. Regina was always tentative in reassuring the blonde, comforting her and encouraging her to stay strong.

After the first three weeks, the bond started to weaken from the lack of physical connection, their voices were faded and sometimes the connection would crackle. By the fourth week, the connection was lost completely. Regina knew that it was never a permanent fix.

As Emma tried her hardest not to give into the darkness that tried to seduce her heart, Regina was run mad searching for a way to get Emma back. She knew the young princess couldn't last forever, she had already persevered so much.

When the sixth month rolls around, the darkness fully seeps into Emma's veins, the magic lights up her bones and the sheer power accelerates her mind. _Time to kill that bitch, _her dark, powerful mind thinks.


	6. You Will Never Imprison My Mind

With all this dark magic running through her veins and execution on her mind, Emma didn't sleep. The magic allowed her to overrule Lady Tramaine's magic that bound her to the bed, which allowed her to pace as she thought. She planned her whole escape down to her exact positioning.

As Lady Tramaine entered the room she stopped suddenly in her tracks and a menacing grin overtook her face. While Emma laid on the silk duvet in her innocent, white nightgown, Lady Tramaine could feel the dark energy radiating off of the young girl like sun rays.

Before she could admire the dark power for another second, Lady Tramaine found herself pinned up against the wall, limbs tied up with dark red magic.

"What is the meaning of this, child? I finally gave you power and now you deny your teacher?" she asked forcefully. "I must teach you to control your magic now, girl."

"You will teach me nothing. All you have done for the past 6 months was try to torture my mind, well guess what? It worked. I have a ton of darkness in me and I fucking hate you," Emma said darkly with her voice eerily steady. "And to christen my new power; the end of your 'teachings' and the end of you."

Emma could see the fear in Lady Tramine's eyes as her magic gripped the woman's neck. But no– this is not how it will end. This was too easy, too painless, too nice. This is the woman made the princess evil, so she was damn-well going to be evil.

As Emma sauntered up to the elderly witch, she could hear the begging, pleading, but it fell on silent ears. Since Emma's transformation, her eyes darkened to a forest green, now though, they flashed dark red.

"Please, darling, I'm begging you! Send me to the dungeons, take my heart and control me, anything! Just please don't kill me!"

"You should've thought about that a few months ago," Emma replied. She dug her hand through the witch's flesh, forcing through the bones, and clenched her hand around the darkened heart. The princess slowly pulled the heart from the frail body. "You made a mistake in turning me into this, and the innocent may suffer because of your failure."

The shire energy that flowed through Emma didn't amount to the power she felt holding onto a heart, a lifeline. She squeezed the heart, prolonging the pain as long as she could and regarding the effects it was having on the witch. Just a burst of pressure had the once-powerful being begging, back arched against the wall, face contorting in pain.

Eager for the end result, Emma crushed the darkened heart to dust in the palm of her hand. Lady Tramaine's eyes grew wide then closed, her dying sight being the red irises of what she created.

After brutally killing Lady Tramaine, Emma's eyes returned to their natural, forest green. She escaped her chambers through the window, her newfound magic allowing her to surpass the magical barrier, and climbed down the vines. Emma ran and ran until she knew she was far from all civilization then continued to run.

The runaway could feel the dark magic enveloping her heart and trying to blacken it, so she isolated herself. The princess stayed in a dark, damp cave for a few nights to help her understand and control her magic to no avail. Emma decided she was probably going to be out in the woods for a while –maybe the rest of her life– so it was time to build her home.

The blonde didn't want to risk her dark magic overcoming her again so she constructed her shelter the hard way. Maybe after the whole 'rebel princess has escaped' blows over she can start practicing with some simple things. Right now, though, Emma settled in her make-shift home and imagined an invisible wall to close off the part of Emma's brain where she felt Regina. She needed to be alone at the moment, not endangering her love or risk being found too soon.

* * *

Regina was worried, to say the least. Not only was her connection with Emma gone for a month, but rumours have spread from the White Kingdom to the Dark Kingdom about the runaway, rebel princess. From outside the barriers of the White palace, Regina should've been able to telepathically speak with Emma again, but it was as if the younger girl had blocked off their bond.

* * *

**A/N: I'm honestly and dearly sorry that it's been a while since I've updated! Also I apologize for the lack of Regina and shortness of this chapter but I'll try to make it up to you guys next chapter!**


	7. Moving Forward But Not Onwards

**A/N**: I am sooo sorry for not updating sooner! I was very busy with exams and lost my motivation to write but I got this program called ZenWriter and it's truly amazing. It's just this really simple and basic program for writing that has a background and music and it's just so calming!

Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review if you liked it and want more or if you have any ideas for my next chapter!

* * *

After searching the whole realm magically, mentally, and physically multiple times, Regina didn't know what to do anymore. Her younger true love was out there somewhere in the middle of nowhere, probably behind a veil of some extremely dark and powerful magic.

Today feels different, though. Today marks the lost princess' 20th birthday. 2 years since she's met her true love, a year and a half since she's disappeared and a year since Snow and Charming gave up their search.

The royal idiots assumed that Regina somehow managed to break the magical barrier to the tall tower, kill Lady Tramaine and kidnap Emma. They were never aware of what the witch was doing to Emma and that kidnapping her would most likely be better for everyone involved, but for their daughter's 19th birthday, Queen Snow decided to call off the search to let Emma be happy with her true love.

Regina thought it was a nice enough gesture even if, unbeknownst to the White Palace, she didn't have Emma. Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by a knock on the door to her library, where she spent most of her time these days.

"Come in," she called out.

"Your Majesty, King Charming of the White Palace is here. He wishes to speak with you," the awkward messenger boy recalled.

"Yes, fine. Send him up."

Mere minutes later David Charming was standing before her in clothes that resembled the finest quality of peasant clothes in the realm.

"Regina, I know you will not forgive the actions of Snow and myself in the past yet I know Emma is not with you. Snow may be blinded by her hatred of you but I shall not be fooled into believing you would outright lie about the location of my daughter. Please, Regina, I want to help," he begged.

"Well maybe there's hope for the White kingdom after all," she mused. "I have been looking for Emma since she was reported missing and have still come up empty handed. How on Earth could you be of any use to me?" the Queen snapped.

"I- I don't know. All I know is that my daughter is out there somewhere and if there is any hope in finding her it's with you. I do not wish to force Emma into returning to our kingdom, she may stay wherever she pleases. My only wish is that she is safely found."

"Very well then. You will busy yourself in asking the villagers and travelers if they have heard so much as a rumor about Emma," Regina ordered.

Charming was taken aback by her acceptance of his aid and her quick commands. Regina sighed, "Now!" David was snapped out of his reveries and scrambled to the door to start his task.

* * *

Em woke up to another day, the same as yesterday and everyday in the past year and a half. She wakes up, goes to physical training with Mulan, magical training with Baelfire, better known as Neal, and then the woods to gather the necessities for the evening.

Whilst walking to meet Mulan, she remembered what today was; her birthday. This means nothing to her now but solely marks the day she was held captive until half a year later she broke free. Since then she's been going by "Em" and training with two trusted friends to control her magic and gain physical strength as well.

Em could battle blindfolded by now, with or without magic, and win every time. She didn't even need to think about what she was doing in order to kill, she never felt guilty anymore; she had turned into the perfect, loyal and heartless warrior. Her long awaited talents were so second nature to her that sometimes it even frightened Mulan and Neal, and Em would most definitely be terrified of what she had become as well if her dark magic allowed her to, but it was too ingrained into her body.

"Nice of you to finally show up," Mulan, who had seemed to pop up out of no where, said to Em. "What were you thinking about to get lost inside your own mind?"

"As you know, that is not such a difficult task for me and it does not and will not effect my judgement therefore you should stop wasting time on chatting and hurry up and get to it. Or are you not willing to lose again?"

Mulan was known for her patience and she knew that Em was just trying to get a rise from her buut whenever her fighting skills were mentioned, she couldn't help but go into full-on raging combat. The blonde was always prepared to take her on though, barely breaking a sweat in her movements to defeat her former master and current practice opponent.

It wasn't long until the sun was directly overhead, indicating that her time with Mulan was at its end and it was time to make her way further from civilization. Em hiked through the forest in her usual course, climbing up a few trees just to jump down and land in her battle stance, all the while keeping up with her set pace.

Finally reaching Neal, they immediately began their training. Neal did not have magic but, on an exclusive need-to-know bases, he was the Dark One's son. That gave him more knowledge than most sorcerers and sorceress'. Unlike physical combat, Em had yet to master the art of magic.

She started each session with the basics, as instructed, to warm her up and make sure she wouldn't get rusty. She then moved to the more strenuous spells and finished off the day with learning a new spell altogether. But today was different. Just as she was aiming her throwing knives at a large tree with her magic, a figure moved out from behind it. Em was practically hard-wired to not lose focus and concentration so she let the floating knives impale the tree anyways.

An all-too-human scream erupted from behind the foliage and out stumbled a man, skewered by a knife in his right shoulder, and right side of his abdomen. _Serves him right, spying on me from behind my target_, Em thought, but upon closer study, regretted her thoughts immediately.

"No!" she cried out and rushed towards the man. She knelt down beside him and protectively held him. "Father, why?" she asked as she hooked her finger under his chin and forced his gaze to land on hers.

"My daughter, sweet, sweet Emma," he mumbled, transfixed at the sight of her. "Go to Regina's palace, it's just beyond the dark forest, you can't miss it. I love you. Tell your mother I love her, too."

"No," Em said firmly. "You are not dying here." She said this mostly to herself as she let her deep emotions of sorrow and rage completely overcome her and she let her dark magic take over. Her eyes flashed burgundy for a moment before teleporting both her and her father, past the gates of the Dark Palace and right into the throne room, where Regina sat, dumbfounded.

"HELP HIM!" Emma screamed, looking up at Regina with pleading eyes.


	8. For The Greater Good

After Queen Regina's unexpected visit from Charming, she was required to return to her queenly duties. For today, that included going to court and solving the problems that her idiotic peasants could not. For the most part, she had to officiate who would get what land for farming and answer the questions of curious, yet brave minds. Sometimes the peak of court was in the courageous villagers that stepped up to pledge their allegiance with the queen and plead to be trained to become a guard, but today, the court's climax was hit the moment a blood red cloud of smoke made itself present in the center of the throne room.

Regina was paralyzed with shock in that moment; the connection at the back of her mind throbbed with pleasure and she finally heard that voice again. That voice that she would never forget, not after a year and a half, not ever. And finally the smoked cleared, - although it was mere seconds, it felt like a lifetime - there she was.

The former Princess Emma. The brunette whom was frozen into her throne took in the appearance of her lost love with nostalgia in her eyes. Emma was much more muscular than the petite girl she met a couple years ago and had numerous scars littered over her arms. She wore dark brown, tight pants with a few stitched up slits around the legs, a cream coloured, tight-fitting tank top that seemed to have its own story behind it, and dark brown boots that have definitely seen better days.

It only took a second for her to take all this into account and seer it into her memory before Emma's words hit her, _HELP HIM!_ She then looked down at Prince Charming, bleeding through his shirt, Emma's hands and onto the floor. Regina then jumped into Evil Queen mode and ordered some of the guards to carry Charming to the infirmary wing and others to send for the healers to aid Emma's father on the way to the infirmary as well.

"Come, Emma. We must allow the healers to do their jobs and discuss other matters." Regina then found herself holding her hand out for the blonde who remained kneeling in the middle of the throne room.

The ex-princess took the queen's hand and allowed her to be pulled from the floor. Emma's hands were rougher than they were on her 18th birthday when they danced, calloused from her physical training, survival, and magical mishaps. The young woman trusted the older woman, even after all of these years to see her at her weakest and pick her up when she fell down.

The couple waited for the crowd surrounding Charming to leave for the infirmary before exiting the throne room and making their way up to the library. Regina's library was huge, a giant main room with shelves upon shelves of books and then two grand staircases on either side of the room leading up to a top floor with books lining the walls. The window ledges were upholstered to accommodate reading nooks along with large plush chairs, a couch, and two love seats gathered around a fireplace on the wall across from the double doors.

With all of the comfortable furniture throughout the room, Emma decided to take a seat on the rug in front of the fireplace.

"I'm sorry," Em says, sounding more defeated than she has in a year and a half. "I wished to come see you terribly but I could not. I did not want to burden you. When I escaped the tower, my magic was out of control so I inexplicably blocked our bond and left. I ran as long and as far as I could and made myself a home, instinctively protecting and concealing it from all.

"I did not know how to hunt, fish, cook or basically survive on my own at all. That was when I found Mulan and Neal. Mulan trained me physically and non-magically whilst Neal taught me magic. Between the two of them, I owe my life. They made me strong and independent."

Em paused and looked up at Regina, who seated on the end of the plush love seat closest to Emma. She gave an encouraging nod at the woman to continue as she sat there intrigued.

"I always intended on coming back to you but I had to control my magic first. It's so dark, so powerful and I swore to myself that I wouldn't let you find me until I had mastered it. I would never be able to live with myself if I knew that I caused you pain because I wasn't able to control myself."

When Em looked up this time, she found tears making their way down Regina's cheeks. She lifted herself off of the ground and slowly made her way over to the brunette and fells to her knees before her. Emma gingerly brought her hands up to the sides of Regina's face and wiped the tears away with her thumbs.

"Emma, darling," Regina said gently, leaning her head forward so that their foreheads touched. "I trust you. I know that you would never try to hurt me and accidents happen. But all in all, I'm glad you are well, dear."

"That's just it though, Regina," Em pulled away. "That's the whole reason my father is here right now. I was practicing my basic warm-ups with magic, just levitating some knives and throwing them at a target on a tree and I heard a noise from behind it. I didn't even hesitate in fatally wounding him, even before I knew he was even human. Long story short, the only reason why he never bled out on that forest floor is because he mentioned you. He forgave me for things he does not even know yet and told me to seek you out."

They sat in silence for a few moments as Regina took in every bit of information the younger warrior was saying while Emma's thoughts flew past rationality to _she must hate me for becoming what I am._

Surprisingly, Regina heard Emma through her mind and right when she had opened her mouth to rid her love of those awful and untrue thoughts, a messenger burst through the doors of the library.

"My Queen! My Queen! Come quick! It's Prince Charming! He's worsening and Queen Snow has somehow got hold of the news of her husband and Emma and she is on her way! Possibly with her army! Your Majesty, what shall we do?"

Regina and Emma flicked their gazes at one another before Emma rushed out of the library and towards the front gate. _Dammit Emma!_ Regina thought as she teleported out of the library and to the infirmary.

* * *

**A/N**: I'm so glad that so many people are enjoying my story! Thank you for the reviews!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time or any of its characters.  
Also I am going to be gone for the next few days for training to be a counselor for my favourite summer camp therefore I don't know when I'll get around to writing my next chapter!  
I hope you liked this chapter! Please send me a review or PM me about it (what I should fix, errors, ideas for the future) or just for a chat! 3


End file.
